Innovation Sprint |
Get Paid To Work With Innovative Companies |
Add a Unique Experience To Your Resume |
Expand your professional network |
Score $600 for 5 weeks of real-world work experience with an industry leader |
Build new products and services to solve real problems |
Link up with industry experts, expanding your circle for exciting career opportunities. Get ready to open doors! |
Innovation Sprint is the launching ground for your career. In just five weeks, you will experience what it’s like to work in an innovative environment, aiding a leader tackle a complex business problem with a group of diverse students from across campus. Innovation Sprint equips you with transformative tools to create positive change in a business, learn valuable career skills and best of all, expand your network!
Experience Innovation Sprint |
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Dive headfirst into a captivating challenge, embracing collaboration to craft a new product or service. |
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Utilize creativity and curiosity as you explore design thinking, design sprints, and a plethora of innovation tools, technologies, and methodologies. |
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3 | Uncover the secrets of working for a business and gain an exclusive inside perspective into the dynamic world of innovation | ||
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Want to read more about past Innovation Sprint experiences? Check out our blog posts here.
Session Dates
Winter 2025 dates will run from January 13th - February 12th.
Mandatory in-person session times:
Mondays: 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Wednesdays: 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Fridays: 1-hour meeting (flexible time)
All sessions will take place in Slate Innovation Lab (EB3121)
Program Requirements
Sprint participants can expect to work 6-8 hours per week during the program.
Participant must complete the 6 week program to receive the $600 funding
Participants must attend all in-person and mentoring session to the receive the $600 funding
Students Innovation Sprint Experience |
Our Latest Partner Organizations Fall 2024
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Past Partner Organizations
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How Do I Apply? |
Apply to the Innovation Sprint program by clicking the “Apply Now” button on the program page.
Complete the application form with the necessary details and confirm your availability for all mandatory sessions. Attendance in all sessions is required to receive the $600 funding. If you have any questions about the application, reach out to Sydney Harder at sharder@mtroyal.ca.
Program Manager
Sydney Harder is an Entrepreneur Development Officer at The Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Mount Royal University. She is also a Mount Royal alumna from the Business Administration program with a minor in Social Innovation, as well as Innovation and Entrepreneurship. With a background in launching her own sustainable arts company and working at a local user experience startup, IncluCity Calgary, she has developed a deep understanding of entrepreneurship and program development. Sydney's career journey has been marked by her dedication to community building and using business models to create social impact. She is particularly inspired to support Mount Royal’s community of changemakers, innovators and entrepreneurs, especially those in creative disciplines. Sydney is available for anyone looking to explore emerging ideas, innovations, or new ventures. |
FAQ |
Students that apply and participate in our programs see a significant increase in their personal and professional growth. By participating in our program, you'll be exposed to new ways of thinking and business concepts that aren’t taught in a classroom, which can be instrumental in shaping your future endeavors. You'll have the chance to work inside a business and learn essential skills that are highly relevant to your career path, enabling you to stay ahead in an ever-changing job market, and build your network.
We seek imaginative individuals eager to explore innovation, acquire career-enhancing skills, and make a positive impact on the world. If this resonates with you, apply now!
To qualify, you must be a full-time or part-time MRU student enrolled in a degree or transfer program with good academic standing. Unfortunately, open studies students are ineligible for our programming. However, we warmly welcome you to join our community events and benefit from our mentoring and coaching services, extended to students campus-wide.
You'll be grouped into teams of four students, each from various educational backgrounds. Our aim is to curate diverse teams, allowing you to leverage your collective knowledge and expertise to tackle challenges presented by your designated problem mentor.
We make every effort to match you with your preferred problem mentor. Upon acceptance into the program, you'll have the opportunity to rank your top mentors. We strive to accommodate most students with their first or second choice, ensuring a meaningful and rewarding mentorship experience. Please be aware that while we strive to pair you with your first or second mentor of choice, we can not guarantee this will always be the case.
All sessions take place in the Slate Innovation Lab (EB3121) and are conducted in-person. Occasionally, there may be off-campus sessions, but rest assured, we will provide ample advance notice for your convenience.
Rather than submitting a final project, you and your team will have the exciting opportunity to showcase your solution, along with the journey that led you there. This presentation will take place during the program's last week, where you'll share your remarkable insights with your fellow peers and problem mentor.
This is not an internship; rather, it's a transformative work-integrated learning experience where you'll collaborate closely with your problem mentor and their business, collectively tackling a business challenge. This opportunity allows you to enrich your resume with invaluable hands-on experience, positioning you strongly for future internships or post-graduation positions.
Whether you are pursuing any degree program across campus, the LaunchPad Sprint program welcomes you. Our inclusive approach values diverse perspectives and knowledge, making it the perfect fit for students with varying degrees of business experience. Rest assured, your background and expertise will be highly appreciated and contribute significantly to your team's success.
We are excited that you enjoyed it so much you’d like to reapply. We want to ensure students get ample opportunity to take part so we encourage you to apply to our other programs we offer. You can check out our program page to learn more or reach out to our team to chat about the opportunities we can offer you.